


eight minutes

by Rei_Rei (anti60ne)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-15
Updated: 2013-10-15
Packaged: 2017-12-29 12:20:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anti60ne/pseuds/Rei_Rei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><a href="http://ficbook.net/readfic/2065320">Russian translation</a> thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/FuckingUndead">Viktoriya</a></p>
    </blockquote>





	eight minutes

**Author's Note:**

> [Russian translation](http://ficbook.net/readfic/2065320) thanks to [Viktoriya](https://twitter.com/FuckingUndead)

_If the sun were to explode, you wouldn't even know about it for eight minutes because that's how long it takes for light to travel to us._

_For eight minutes the world would still be bright and it would still feel warm._

 

  
Jongin wraps himself with a huge comforter, snuggling comfortly in the cocoon. He smiles, like nothing's changed. The warmth is so reminiscent and his smile doesn't falter when his eyes flutter shut, the memory of Luhan's face dancing across his eyelashes.

 

 

 

eight

 

 

 

"Jongin!"

 

 

  
The voice sounds far away, like it's floating among clouds, weightless. It's too far, too light to divert his attention.

 

  
Then it becomes louder. Clearer.

 

 

"Jongin."

 

Jongin opens his eyes. Luhan beams at him with a spark in his eyes that only Jongin can see. Jongin's smile stretches so ridiculously wide, he's like a child presented with his Christmas present.

 

  
"You're back."

 

  
Luhan laughs. The sound echoes between them, lingers, travels into Jongin's ears and stays.

 

  
"But I've never left."

 

 

seven

 

 

  
"Jongin!"

 

A hand shakes his shoulder fervently. His eyes snap open as he inhales, sharp, the air of reality sucked into his lungs.

 

"Why are you hiding in here? I've been calling you."

 

  
Sehun's anxious eyes rake over him, lovely brows creased by a small frown. He's bent down, a portion of his lanky upper body awkwardly hedged in the confined space of the closet.

 

  
Jongin looks at him blankly. He blinks several times, one slower than the previous. A weight materializes in his hand and he looks down.

 

A jade ring. It belongs to Luhan. Luhan should be wearing it. Why is he holding it and why are his palms clammy with cold sweat and why-

 

  
"Where's Luhan?"

 

  
Sehun's pursed lips eventually part, but all Jongin hears is jumbled words. They hit his ears and bounce off easily, blurring into the background like white noise.

 

  
He closes his eyes again.

 

  
"Luhan, I have your ring. Why do I-"

 

Jongin stops prematurely. Words have suddenly wandered off on their own and he's lost them. Luhan peers at him with an amused smirk, eyes half-lidded like he's holding a secret but bursting to tell. He raises his left hand, the back facing Jongin.

 

"How is that possible when I'm wearing it?"

 

It's true. The ring is on Luhan's index finger. White light scatters off of the jade prettily, but not as pretty as the way Luhan smiles at him, Jongin thinks.

 

And he thinks, how _is_ it possible?

 

He reaches for Luhan's hand but the glimmer of the jade blinds him.

 

  
He blinks.

 

 

six

 

 

  
"Jongin, come back."

 

 

He swims languidly through his thoughts and murky voices, images and sounds and touches that he can't tell if they're supposed to have happened already or are happening right now and he's trying to-

 

  
five

 

 

  
"Jongin!"

 

 

He inhales sharply and his eyes snap open so wide and fast all he sees is white spots for a split second.

 

  
four

 

 

  
Then he's blinking rapidly into a familiar pair of worried eyes. It's another ocean that submerges him, but not as vast or soothing as the one he'd rather be swimming in forever and ever and ever.

 

 

"Luhan. where is Luhan? Sehun, where is he?"

 

 

But even that ocean is draining, too fast for Sehun and too slow for Jongin.

 

Sehun doesn't say anything. For a minute on the clock and eternity for Jongin, Sehun stays quiet. Sehun's breath blows softly into the crook of Jongin's neck, his arms coiled around Jongin from the back. They feel too heavy, too warm. They're not Luhan's.

 

  
three

 

  
"He's gone, Jongin."

 

Jongin doesn't register the words that slip reluctantly off Sehun's trembling lips. He's still swimming and he doesn't want to stop and he wishes Sehun's heavy arms would let go so he can swim better and faster.

 

  
"No."

 

  
Sehun takes a long breath and exhales, blowing more warmth into Jongin's nape. It tickles and Jongin shifts, struggles. Sehun holds him in place because otherwise he'll be gone again, far, far into the ocean that is rapidly vanishing into white smokes.

 

  
"Jongin-"

 

  
"He can't be gone. He said he'll never leave. He's never left. He's here. He's right here." _I can feel him._

 

two

 

Jongin grows agitated, his voice raising as something ugly boils inside his chest. It tastes bitter and he doesn't like it. No, he doesn't like it one bit.

 

  
"Then why do you have his ring?"

 

  
Sehun wraps his fingers around Jongin's hand and lifts it up before his face. Luhan's ring is perched on his right index finger.

 

  
The jade is suddenly burning against his cold finger and Jongin screams.

 

 

  
one

 

He drowns in nothingness.

 

  
zero

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, from which the opening quote is taken.


End file.
